Kate's Recovery Pt. 04

The first night without Aiden was difficult for Kate. She still couldn't believe how reliant on his presence she had become. Maybe it was the fact that it took so long to realise her feelings, but now she was back in her own bed, she was conscious of his absence.

She knew her mother noticed because over dinner, Kate had remained abnormally quiet. She was mentally tracking where in the sky he would be while Will and Lettie occupied the table. While nothing was said, she kept catching her mother's eye, and the concern was obvious. At bedtime, Kate only hung around enough to go through her mother's routine of demanding goodnight hugs before retreating to her room.

Stripping down, she put on the t-shirt she had claimed and breathed in his scent. She didn't let herself cry. It wasn't that she didn't want to; she didn't feel it would be productive. Instead, she pulled out her phone and tracked his flight. Seeing his flight was over the Congo, she put it away and got some sleep. It was time for her to focus on what she needed to do so she could get back to him as soon as possible.

Kate woke up late, having slept restlessly. Walking into the kitchen for breakfast, she was surprised to find only her mum waiting.

"Where is everyone?" Kate asked.

"Will and Caitlyn have gone shopping for things that are harder to find in Maun," Sarah answered. "Lettie's gone with them to buy things to take back to England. I don't know why, even Dad admits the biltong we get in England these days isn't terrible."

"Daddy hates British biltong," Kate replied.

"He hates the supermarket stuff that's really beef jerky but marketed," Sarah corrected. "He hasn't been so bad since he found a South African butcher in London who is willing to courier it to us. I might get him a drying box to make his own for his birthday."

"And where is Daddy?" Kate asked, rolling her eyes.

"He's with Don, trying to convince Sharon and Stuart they need more help than the cleaner who pops in twice a week," Sarah said seriously.

"Why didn't you go with him?" Kate asked.

"Watching my husband get yelled at by one of his self-appointed mothers isn't something I enjoy. Mostly, I wanted to check on you," Sarah said sympathetically. "I've never seen you turn down the chance to bully your brother."

"I'm okay, Mum," Kate said slowly. "It sucks he's gone, but it's what we both agreed to, so I can't complain. It's just a few weeks"

"Okay, Love, but if it ever overwhelms you, I'm here," Sarah said, squeezing her hand. "Pro tip: Don't wear his shirt; the smell will fade faster. Put it on a pillow, then you have something to cuddle."

"Thanks," Kate smiled before getting up to sort out her breakfast. "The joy of tennis is that I get to hit something when I get frustrated."

Instead of heading to the tennis courts, Kate took a long run on her own. She still felt a bit behind on her conditioning, and running was her favourite escape after tennis. All she had to do was focus on the road ahead of her and her pace. She picked her preferred 10K interval programme and set off. She used the time to build a list of what she needed to do to get back to him.

Set schedule for Australia with DaddyArrange hitting partnersPlan travelMake the sacrifices worth it.

Kate mentally repeated this list until she ran past her parents' house to mark the end of her first 5K loop. She picked up the water bottle she'd left by the gate before turning on her professional mind. Sipping the water, she focused on her goals for the coming season. It was a simpler list; find her form, get her ranking back, be who she was born to be - be the player everyone, including Aiden, believed she was.

She noticed her father's car was back in the driveway as she completed her run. Instead of stopping, she jogged another mile and a half to cool down before walking back by taking a shortcut through the cart paths on the golf course. It was a bit naughty, but the groundskeepers tended to turn a blind eye to the residents on the estate as long as they didn't interfere with play. Her father was actually notorious for using the golf course as a shortcut when he wanted a drink at the clubhouse. A habit he'd developed in his teens when the house was still her grandfather's. There had been a complaint a few years ago, but it had all disappeared when her father quietly made a donation to ensure the annual club dinner had an open bar.

It suddenly occurred to her that instead of relying on her father to ensure she always had what she needed, she needed to take the lessons she'd learned from him over the years for her own needs. Her relationship with the tour was going to have to change; she already knew that, but there was only so much her father could do to manage her sponsors' expectations. It was still her name and signature on the contract. She needed to start using his blend of generous pragmatism and principled stubbornness for her own gain. She still intended to meet her obligation; it was the 'how' she needed to renegotiate. She'd give them everything they wanted on her own--maybe more. In return, they were going to have to be happy for her when she withdrew from the spotlight, when Aiden joined her. She hadn't even bothered asking him how they should publicly present their relationship. Aiden had been very clear; he wasn't joining that world. He'd meet her expectations, he'd sit in her player's box, and he'd attend events. But he wasn't going to be in tabloids as Kate Smith's boyfriend.

Kate thought about explaining her new dilemma to her father as she let herself in through the back gate, but decided against it. He couldn't fight this one for her. She needed someone with less integrity, someone who wasn't driven by fatherly devotion. She needed Damon. She may not have always agreed with her agent, but she couldn't deny that when it came to getting his clients what they wanted, he was one of the best. She'd owe him, she'd probably have to do a bit more promo work to pad his commission, but he'd get it done.

In the house, she found her parents chatting easily. She quickly kissed her father on the cheek.

"Can we have a quick meeting?" Kate said.

"Of course, we can have a meeting, Princess," Mike smiled at Kate. "You hop in the shower while I catch your mother up on Auntie Sharon's stubbornness."

Kate left the room laughing at the characterisation of her bonus grandmother. After a quick refresh, she went to her father's office. Taking her seat opposite him, she didn't wait for him to start.

"Daddy, do you have my schedule for Australia?" Kate asked.

"Of course. I was going to go over it with you when I got back," Mike answered. "It's just sponsors' events in the evenings, plenty of time to network and practice. Phoebe will meet you in Melbourne. You're not playing, and there isn't anything to negotiate, so there's no point in my coming. I'll see you at home and join you at Wells."

"Is there time for me to have dinner or lunch with Damon before everything kicks off?" Kate asked.

"He's already requested it to discuss your commercial obligations for the year," Mike replied. "Everything okay? You never normally want to meet him without me."

"I need someone who knows how to manipulate the press and my sponsors. That's Damon's world, not yours," Kate admitted. "One of the deals I made with Aiden is that I wouldn't let my professional life overshadow our relationship. That means keeping him protected from the press. I'll do more work when Aiden isn't on tour with me, and I'll be more visible. But I'm not committing to anything beyond the bare minimum when he joins me."

Kate knew she was in trouble when her father took a deep breath and muttered to himself in Setswana. It was normally a sign he was annoyed or carefully managing his response.

"I'm going to save you the conversation. The answer is no," Mike said firmly.

"But Daddy..." Kate tried to protest.

"Don't 'Daddy' me," Mike cut her off. "This is your manager speaking. One, you're asking the wrong person. Damon's job is to maximise your exposure. My job is to find a mutually acceptable solution that favours you. Two, we've already had this conversation. Your sponsors are expecting you to buy into your comeback narrative, which means more appearances, not less, especially since you're spending less time on tour. Three, you and Aiden should have come to me with this at the beginning, and I would have explained. I figured you understood the narrative."

"What narrative?" Kate asked quietly.

"You can't protect Aiden," Mike said simply. "He's not a regular civilian."

"Of course he is," Kate protested. "He's not a visible member of my team."

"Then why is his gym on your sponsors page?" Mike countered. "Why is his business tagged in all your workouts? Kate, half of his success is down to you. I'll have Phoebe pull the numbers, but I'd bet half of his social media followers are fans of yours. Now you want him to be your boyfriend. No, if you want to protect him, your relationship can live in the shadows, and he remains your personal trainer in public. Or you're professional relationship moves to the shadows and your relationship is public knowledge even if not discussed."

"I already promised him," Kate replied weakly.

"Now, onto my other point," Mike continued. "Remember when you asked me to explore a partnership between your sponsors and his gym? I have an offer from your apparel company offering £75,000 a year to be the official partner of your personal gym. I have another offer from an equipment manufacturer offering to be his exclusive supplier. You've already brought him into this world."

"I didn't realise," Kate cried. "I just wanted to find a way to manage the distance between our lives."

"Yes, and I could have helped with that if you'd been clear about what you wanted," Mike replied. "You've been in the business long enough to understand that nothing is free; an official partnership creates expectations. They might have even made the offer eventually, regardless of your relationship. I could have kept it separate. It wouldn't have been too difficult to get Aiden a few t-shirts and some caps. They send Mum and me a box of stuff every time we join you. It wouldn't have been too difficult to make a similar arrangement for Aiden."

"What do I do?" Kate asked, ignoring her father's criticism.

"Talk to him. The offer sheets don't need a response till you're back from Australia. This is a conversation you need to have in person, not FaceTime. If Aiden takes the deals, he's becoming a brand in his own right, amplified by his connection to you. If he doesn't, your sponsors might not appreciate you continuing to work exclusively with someone who has rejected their offer to partner. Someone they share space with on your website."

"Daddy, I can't stop working with Aiden, I can't imagine trusting another PT like I do him, regardless of our personal relationship," Kate whispered.

"Kate, that's love talk, not business," Mike replied. "They pay for presence in your life, but he does not. They will expect you to sacrifice him, or they will pull their funding and possibly seek penalties, claiming you acted in bad faith. Previously, we could mitigate this by arguing that he was a childhood friend and didn't appear on tour. But if you publicly claim him as your boyfriend, he has to fall in line."

"I feel like I've failed him already," Kate cried. "I just wanted to manage the distance between our lives."

"Look," Mike said, softening his tone. "I'll have a chat with him when I get home and explain the basics, but how you go forward is up to the two of you. If you want my advice, take him off your sponsors page. He is successful enough that you don't need to promote him anymore. Stop tagging his gym when you work out, and keep your training content focused on tennis. Make him your boyfriend officially, and keep the personal trainer private. That way, we can separate his deals from your brand. He has a big enough following to justify them without you, and it separates your personal connection from your professional one."

"Thanks, Daddy," Kate said, looking up. "I guess I'll just have to find another compartment for this until I see him."

"I'm sorry, Princess, but this is the life you've chosen.

"I know," Kate said, getting up. "I'm going to the courts, I suddenly feel the need to hit something."

"I used to find these were the best moments to work on power serves," Mike smiled weakly.

"Thanks," Kate said humourlessly, kissing his cheek without affection. "I'll look at the flight and hotel bookings later."

On her way to the courts, Kate decided to follow her father's advice. This was a conversation she needed to have in person. A call wouldn't do. No matter Aiden's reaction, she needed to face it. She hoped he would be understanding. Now she thought about it, she realised how naïve they'd been. It was more than the reality her father had pointed out to her. She didn't want to hide Aiden, and she couldn't walk into an event holding his hand without being photographed. One way or another, their relationship was going to come into the spotlight.

The more she thought, the more she convinced herself that she wasn't even breaking her promise to him. She'd promised him that she'd prioritise their personal relationship over their professional one. So her choice was easy. It wasn't as if she had to stop working with him. She just wouldn't publicise it anymore. When she'd first made her promise, she'd meant the depth of her bond, rather than bringing him into the spotlight. Maybe they could control the narrative if they got ahead of it. After all, plenty of couples walked the red carpet together while keeping their actual relationship away from the press. It wouldn't be easy, nothing was, but it would be manageable. Having Oxford as a home base helped; it was a tiny media market, and paparazzi were effectively non-existent, despite the fact that it and the nearby Cotswolds were home to several people far more famous than she was.

Kate spent two hours hitting. Regardless of her frustration, she decided to be productive and deliberate while she was there. Finding a ball machine, she set it to randomly feed her balls so she could work on her footwork and movement. Slowly, her professional obsessiveness came out, and it was less about how visually good her returns looked and more about how she felt. It didn't matter if she hit a hundred perfect forehands; if they didn't feel right, she'd keep going until she was happy. Once she reached that, she focused on her serve for another forty-five minutes before she was ready to go home.

After her shower, she realised it was time for her FaceTime with Aiden. She took a deep mental breath and reminded herself to put on a smile. She focused on the practical; he'd been travelling for sixteen hours and probably wouldn't have the headspace to deal with their new dilemma.

"Hey, Love," Kate smiled when he appeared on screen. "Good flight?"

"Yeah, it was nice. Much more comfortable than travelling with your family, Dad upgraded us to business," Aiden chuckled.

"Nice for some, living the high life while I struggled without you," Kate pouted.

"I didn't say it was easy, and I said it was nice and more comfortable," Aiden pointed out. "If you're not going to be next to me, I might as well enjoy some luxury."

"I'm teasing, I fly business most of the time, you know," Kate giggled. "I tolerate Mum's rule because I almost never fly with them, and it's definitely never in season. I need the beds and pods to minimise the effects of constant timezone hopping."

"So you do make professional choices," Aiden laughed. "I thought you only did it when you had a babysitter."

"I'm always professional, I may have let loose while I was injured, but I'd never actually risk not being up to the challenge."

"Fair," Aiden replied. "So what's your plan for the next few days?"

"I dunno yet," Kate replied. "I'll probably just practice and enjoy my last few days of freedom with family. I need to fit everyone in, since I probably won't be back till next year. I'm thinking about arranging a cousins' night tonight. I've been a bit focused on you, and I normally have a treat day with them. Give them some social media clout, after all, what's the point of having a famous cousin if they can't use it at school? We'll go to the Lion Park or something. I like the wave pool, and the roller coaster isn't terrible."

"Kate, they're teens and they live there, that's the sort of thing they do all the time. Host a braai, buy them some beer - something light, like St Louis. It's not like they're not allowed within controlled settings. If you want to treat them, do something they'll enjoy. I know you skipped the normal teenage life, but that's pretty much what 15-18 year olds want. It's what we did."

"I'll clear it with Will; he'll probably overrule the St Louis, but that's not a bad idea," Kate smiled. "Anyway, get some rest, I'm sure you need to readjust to being home. I love you!"

"I love you, Tennis Star," Aiden grinned before ending the call.

Kate quickly texted Aiden's suggestion to her siblings and received a quick reply promising to pick up the supplies and a selection of light lagers and ciders. Kate then turned her attention to getting her parents out of the house.

"We're having the cousins over," Kate announced. "They're going to drink, but Will is limiting them to St. Louis, Windhoek Light and Savanna Light. We're also getting plenty of soft drinks and food. Do you want to stay and chaperone, or do you trust your adult children?"

"I'm tempted to stay just to watch Will drink a St Louis, I thought I trained him out of the watered-down muck," Mike replied. "But we trust you, make it camping night in the meadow, and we'll have a grown-ups night in town. I'll clear it with everyone."

"Just nothing the parents themselves wouldn't allow," Sarah added. "I know we're pretty liberal on these things, but there is a difference between managed exposure and letting a bunch of teenagers wreck my house and throw up in my pool."

"Mum, I'm pretty sure both Will and Let threw up in the pool before their seventeenth birthday," Kate laughed.

"That's my point," Sarah said seriously. "You lot were allowed to push your boundaries here because you're ours. I don't want complaints from some of our oldest friends. I'm not fussed about what the legal ones get up to, but I do expect the younger ones not to take advantage. Am I clear?"

"Yes," Kate replied meekly. "It'll be fine, I'm staying sober, and Caitlyn will make sure Will is more safari guide than the one trying to keep up with Daddy."

"Good," Sarah replied. "We have enough tents to sleep ten, so you might want to borrow one or two from Alex and Lily, they live the closest. I'll get Don and Penny to send a couple with Charlie."

Kate immediately distracted herself by taking the short walk to Alex and Lily's house. She had a special spot in her heart for them. Being neighbours in both Oxford and Botswana didn't hurt. Alex may have been her financial guru, but Lily had been Will and Lettie's nanny before Kate's adoption, but her employment had really been a manipulation created by her mother to play matchmaker. Alex and Lily had continued to babysit during Kate's early days until they got married and started having their own children. In their chaotic chosen family, Lily was one of the closest to being an actual relative after her father's 'siblings'. Kate's father had stood as Lily's uncle at her Botswana wedding, promising the protection of his own tribe and familial obligation.

"Hey Kate," Lily said, opening the door.

"Hey, Lily," Kate said, reaching for a hug. "I'm here to borrow a couple of tents and steal your children for the night. Cousins' night at the Smith house. No grown-ups allowed."

"You know you're a grown-up," Lily replied, drily. "Jean's gone back to England for Uni, but Debbie and Nick are around."

"Perfect," Kate replied. "Just so you know, there will be alcohol, but I'm not drinking, and Will, Let, and Caitlyn will help me keep a lid on things."

"I like how you think I trust your father's son to keep an eye on things," Lily laughed. "But better they have fun with you lot rather than the nonsense they get up to when they go to 'late' screenings at the cinema. I won't say no to a free night with my husband."

"Daddy's arranging a grown-ups' night," Kate replied.

"Even better, a night with my husband and a free dinner on Mike. I'll send the kids along in a bit. I need them to dig out the tents and their sleeping bags."

Within hours, the house was overrun with their younger cousins. The younger boys were setting up tents, and Will, along with a couple of the older boys, managed the braai fire, while the girls prepared the sides in the kitchen.

It occurred to Kate that this was another night that had probably happened without her before. Will and Lettie had spent more time in Botswana than she had after she turned pro, and it had always been their deal as the oldest three to make special time for the younger members of their generation. Kate had thought she'd made up for it by sending things from the tour, but she had never been able to give them the gift of time the same way her siblings had.

In any other year, she'd have left Botswana immediately after Christmas to play in the Brisbane International before the Australian Open, while Will would take them camping in the Rhino Sanctuary or the Kalahari. With her new schedule, she didn't just have time for Aiden; she could also make time for her family. Kate quickly resolved that when she got to England, she'd do the same for her cousins there. It was time to reward their unconditional support with more than presents; they also needed her presence.

Kate remained silent as her mother laid down the law and let everyone know the repercussions of trashing her house before they left for their hastily arranged dinner and casino night.

Before long, everything was settled, and they were all eating, laughing, and joking. For the most part, no one tried to push the limit of the drinking rules that they'd put in place. There was a moment when one of the younger boys reached for one of Will's beers instead of the light ones, but Will put a stop to that quickly.

"You can have one," Will smiled before turning on his guide voice for the crowd. "I'm not going to stop anyone who thinks we're being strict. If you want to go stronger, fine, but that's what you drink for the night. You take a seat next to me and drink at my pace. Tomorrow, you get to explain to your mothers why you look worse for wear. It's what our dads did to me when I thought I was ready to go stronger. You'll get grounded, and I'll get a shoulder shrug. If you're really lucky, you might even get the chance to repeat the show for our dads, and just a reminder, I still haven't beaten them, and none of you can take me on."

Kate told slightly embellished stories of her life on tour, focusing on the glamour and leaving out the real world of relentless training and ice baths. Will told tall tales of his truck breaking down on scouting missions and having to walk through lion and leopard territories relying on nothing but his wits and bushcraft.

It was only once the food was cleared away and everyone changed into swimming gear that Kate wished she'd had this idea while Aiden was still with them. It was the sort of thing he would have loved, fun with no agenda. Smiling slightly, Kate finished changing into her bikini and picked up her phone to send him a picture of the gathering. Instead of going outside, she went out onto the balcony deck that overlooked the pool.

"Everyone in the water," Kate shouted. "Family picture."

"What about you?" came a voice.

"I get photographed enough," Kate replied. "I just want a picture of all of you together."

"I'll take it," Will said, climbing the stairs. "They get to see me plenty; this might be their last chance for a photo with you for a year."

Kate smiled and joined her cousins in the pool, letting them lead her to the middle where she could stand out.

"Put some music on," Kate shouted out after the photo was done.

Instead of engaging in the mischief, Kate sat on the edge of the pool, watching Will bring speakers out from the small bar room her father kept that led onto the deck. She knew the neighbours were in trouble when the music started. It was her dad's sing-along playlist, filled with classics from Queen, Foreigner, Roxette, and other eighties and early nineties groups. Music, they were all too young for, but had grown up knowing the lyrics to from family parties.

"We need a video," Kate called out as Bohemian Rhapsody began.

After the second sing-along to Robbie Williams' Angels, the gathering slowed down, and they split into smaller groups. Kate was still sitting on the edge of the pool, listening to some of the girls discuss their school crushes, when Lettie joined her.

"Please do me a favour," Lettie whispered. "While you're in Australia, take a shopping trip with Phoebe and get some proper bikinis."

"What's wrong with this one?" Kate whispered back.

"It's not a bikini," Lettie replied. "It's an athlete's recovery wear, it's basically a sports bra and full back Lycra knickers. No one would bat an eyelid if you ran a marathon in that. It's fine for now, because it's family and the kiddos, but would you wear that on the beach with Aiden? I'm not saying get a micro bikini that wouldn't do if paparazzi caught sight of it, but get a few that raise the temperature a little bit. You're hot, own it. I shouldn't say that because you're my sister, but you are adopted, and you're finally in a grown-up relationship. There's nothing wrong with showing off for him."

"You sound like Mum," Kate said.

"I wonder how that happened," Lettie giggled. "While you were at training camps in Spain, I had to absorb her wisdom for both of us."

Kate thought about her sister's words for a few minutes before coming up with an idea.

"I won't need them in Australia, but A is joining me in California in a couple of months. Maybe we can do a sister day when I pass through home. I'm getting a new account and credit card, Daddy doesn't oversee, let's burn a hole in it. Selfridges, Harrods, VS, maybe a personal shopper."

"I'll never say no to spending your money," Lettie grinned. "You know Will and Caitlyn are coming to England for their annual visit, so you're going to have to include our sister-in-law. And we can't leave out Natalie; she's your sister-in-law now. I can even think of a cousin or two who will feel left out. I hope your new card has a big limit."

"It's a platinum one," Kate admitted.

"Perfect," Lettie giggled. "Now come on, let's convince one of the youngsters to challenge Will to a downing contest, we need to quiet down the house soon, and it's not a Smith party unless someone is thrown in the pool. I wish it could be our brother, but we need Dad or Uncle Don for that."

"Right," Kate shouted. "Music's going off in fifteen minutes before we get a noise complaint. Lettie has decided that one of you can challenge Will. You know the rules. One bottle of beer, either in the bottle or a glass, loser goes in the pool."

"Why don't I take the two of you on?" Caitlyn replied. "I'm a Smith now, it's time I did one of these."

"I'm out," Kate replied. "I'm back in my real world. Let?"

"Deal," Lettie grinned mischievously. "She may be our sister-in-law, but she's still American. We Brits are born drinkers, and I'm a Smith. Sixteen months married to Will isn't enough to overcome genetics and upbringing. If I lose, I won't just go in the pool, but I'll sponsor breakfast for everyone at the clubhouse."

"I can take her, right, Baby?" Caitlyn replied, turning to Will, who was conveniently looking elsewhere.

"Caitlyn, I love you, and I will pick you over everyone on this planet, but don't do this to me," Will said, still not meeting her eye. "You've seen our nonsense."

"Fine, but when I win, you're in the doghouse," Caitlyn replied defiantly, digging into the drinks tub.

Kate laughed as Lettie won easily. Even taking a short break to let Caitlyn try to catch up. In Caitlyn's slight defence, her first mistake had been not asking to drink out of a glass instead of the bottle. Kate knew from experience and familial learning that Lettie knew the technique to prevent a vacuum forming, which is where most people failed in downing from a bottle without a straw.

Will, being a good husband, fell on his sword for his wife and took the punishment of being tossed in the pool before announcing he would match Lettie's offer of breakfast.

"I spend too many nights in the bush away from her; the doghouse isn't worth it," Will whispered to Kate as he exited the water.

As Kate pointed out the tent assignments, she made one more announcement.

"I'm claiming Mum's rules for the night, everyone sleeping on her property owes me a goodnight hug. I'm flying in a couple of days, and I need to remember you lot until we do this again."

After making sure the house was properly shut down except for the door they were leaving unlocked for the toilet, Kate crawled into the small two-person tent she was sharing with Lettie. She was happy her parents lived on a gated estate, which made the night possible. She checked her phone briefly before sending Aiden the pictures and videos from the night with a kiss. Happy with her new outlook, she turned around to hold her sister's hand as they slept.

Kate spent her last few days in Botswana balancing her professional needs as she prepared to return to the tour. She practised, reviewed, and accepted the colourways for the training gear her sponsors wanted her to wear at the slam, and ensured her other sponsor logos were properly placed on the digital mock-ups of her kit. After a final review, she sent off her orders, knowing that they'd be waiting for her on arrival, probably even in her hotel room, before she received her keycard. She liaised with Phoebe to ensure she had the evening wear she needed for the sponsor mixers and other events, such as the official welcome and the players' party. She'd even agreed to play in one of the charity exhibitions that were a hallmark of the week before the Australian Open officially started. They were a fun spectacle, and the players were typically mic'd up as it was more about entertaining the crowd than competition. For Kate, it was a pressure-free way to play in front of a crowd on one of the world's greatest courts.

When she had the time, she checked in with her various family members as part of her new ambition to be more present for them when she could. She visited Auntie Sharon to help prune her roses and listened to the familiar stories of her father's youthful indiscretions. She loved these stories, as they became less sanitised every year as she grew older. Discovering he'd been suspended at fifteen for drinking on a school trip had been a fun scandal of her father's imperfection when she first learned the story. Now she understood it was a teenager acting out of unresolved grief after his mother died.

She even took a day trip to spend some time with her father's mostly distant Botswana family. There was a deep love there, and they were always warmly welcomed. Maybe Kate imagined it, but she'd always felt her father was never truly comfortable around his maternal relatives in the way he was around their chosen family. She knew he'd had a complicated relationship with his mother, and they never spoke about her. She also knew he respected his relatives and his cultural obligations to them. Especially now, he was considered an elder. He never missed a key event and had quietly paid for more than one funeral.

Kate typically enjoyed the experience. She was never Kate with them. She was Mpho, the Setswana word for gift. That's who she was to them, the gift brought to her father's people to raise their profile. Before his death, her great-uncle would call her Mpho wa rona--our gift.

Kate made sure to share all her new reflections with Aiden when they FaceTimed. Kate was in the process of adjusting her routine to Australian time to manage the jet lag, and they had found a window where Aiden would call her during his lunch break. Kate loved it because it meant that when she was in Australia, he'd be able to wish her goodnight and be the last person she spoke to for the day.

It did come with some complications, because it took phone sex off the table since Aiden was at work. However, that was more his hang-up than hers. Kate found the idea exciting.

"Come, Babe, just lock your office door and indulge me," Kate whispered seductively.

"Kate, this is a gym," Aiden replied firmly. "Just because I'm on a break doesn't mean the business has stopped. I could be called out for a client emergency at any minute."

"Aiden, half of your client base is wealthy Summertown housewives who use your gym so they can wear leggings in public before they sit in a fancy coffee shop and eat an expensive pastry while they gossip," Kate replied. "They don't work out hard enough to create an emergency."

"Hey! One, you just described your mother, especially when we were growing up," Aiden laughed. "Two, I'm behind as it is from giving so much of my time to you in the last few months, and I'm trying to get ahead so I can prioritise you when you're home. Remote work does a lot and keeps the place running, but nothing beats my actual presence here. A bit like you trying to be more present for everyone. But if we ever have a quiet day, we can revisit the issue."

"Fine," Kate grinned. "I suppose this is why I made sure you left me with fake Aiden. Maybe you could send me a video so I can visualise you while I play with him."

"Deal, but I expect you to return the favour."

As they ended the call, Kate had a spark of an idea; she went searching for the ring light and phone stand she and Lettie had bought so they could do GRWM content together. It hadn't lasted because, as Kate moved into the real world, she wanted to keep her professional life separate from her personal one. It was part necessity and also a directive from her parents. Kate had chosen to pursue a life in the public eye; her siblings had not. They couldn't hide their association, but they could manage it by minimising their social media connection. She knew they rarely mentioned their connection to her unless needed. For Will, it was easy; no one connected a safari guide with an athlete. Lettie had it a little harder; she lived in London and never missed joining her at Wimbledon, and sometimes the US Open when she could. A few work colleagues had spotted her in Kate's box once Kate started getting matches on the show courts. That was going to be another burden to discuss with Aiden.

Pushing the thought away, she focused. This wasn't the time to dwell on practicalities; this was the time to titillate her lover. She set up her phone on the stand and once she was happy with the angle, she found her new toy, and stripped naked.

Resting against the headboard, Kate pressed the remote to start the recording. With her legs spread for the camera, she seduced herself. Instead of focusing on the camera, she closed her eyes; she wasn't putting on a show. She was showing him how she approached her most private moments. With her eyes closed, she could pretend he was in the room, silently watching her.

She began with her breasts, using featherlight touches to tease and stroke her nipples, drawing their attention before pinching and pulling them to heighten the stimulation and kickstart her arousal. When she felt ready, she moved her right hand to tease her folds as she waited for her bud to appear. Sometimes she went straight for it, just seeking release, but she wanted to be more deliberate with her self-seduction. When the time came, she wanted to be desperate.

She knew she had reached the critical moment when she let out her first moan. Having reached the first milestone, she felt for her new favourite companion and set the vibration to a level that wouldn't overwhelm her immediately. She traced the tip around her entrance until her need overtook rational thought. She set a quick and forceful pace, imagining Aiden's strength. While it was a perfect replica of him, silicone could never replace the feel and warmth of human flesh. However, the vibrations took her to her destination quicker than she expected. She kept it in while her climax overwhelmed her. Only pulling it out as the first aftershock hit. Opening her eyes, she blew a kiss at the camera before stopping the recording. After giving her toy a quick clean, she slipped under the covers for her time adjustment nap, smiling at the post orgasmic bliss and the thought of Aiden's reaction when she sent it to him later.

The morning before she left for Australia, her father joined her on her run around the estate. He didn't request it; he'd just been ready at the time she normally went. They didn't talk much, she worked to keep herself within his usual 22-minute 5K pace. It was only when they slowed down to cool down from the run that he opened up.

"I'm sorry."

"For what? You've done nothing wrong," Kate said.

"For making you feel like you can't have both your career and Aiden on your terms," Mike said, stopping and facing her. "Mum gave me a bollocking when I told her about our conversation the other day. My first duty is to empower and facilitate your life choices, not put up roadblocks."

"No, Daddy," Kate protested. "You were right. I didn't think about the consequences of my decisions. I didn't need you to be my dad, needed you to be my manager. I need to take a bit more responsibility. I get my life is different, but I think my reliance on you has stunted my growth a bit."

"Are you sacking me?" Mike replied, his eyebrow raised.

"No, never, aside from my bias, I genuinely think you're the best in business, there's a reason other girls have tried to get you to rep them," Kate said. "I know your motivation is paternal rather than a genuine desire to live in this world, but that's what makes you so powerful. You don't let the backdoor wheeling and dealing influence you. But I also need to take the same responsibility for my personal life that Will and Lettie have. You can't clean up my messes with Aiden. It's my relationship and I have to manage it."

"Okay," Mike said softly. "Now, where do you want to have lunch before we take you to the airport?"

"Sanitas or Two Six Seven at Riverwalk," Kate said, smiling. "But I want a hug first."

"Deal," Mike replied with a hug, before leading them home.

Despite it being an overnight flight, Kate limited her sleep on the flight to Perth. Thanks to the time difference, her connection to Melbourne had given her a late arrival time, and she wanted to be exhausted on arrival so she could sleep through the night and begin fighting the jet lag immediately.

Thankfully, the tournament had arranged for an assistant to meet her at the plane door and escort her through the VIP line for immigration and customs, saving her the headache of Australia's typically challenging and intense experience. She managed through the transfer on coffee and light snacks in the executive lounge before finally arriving.

Ever the dutiful assistant, Phoebe was waiting for her when she landed in Melbourne with a driver from the hotel.

"Hey, Phoebs," Kate smiled, hugging her long-time companion. "Ready to re-enter the belly of the beast?"

"I've been in it for two days," Phoebe laughed. "I've got all your credentials and your room key. Now let's get you to bed, we can deal with the practicalities in the morning. I'm under instructions not to talk business with you until you've rested and eaten something."

"Daddy really said that?" Kate asked.

"No, his boss did, your mum."

"Typical," Kate laughed and let herself be guided to the car.

At the hotel, she took just enough time for a quick shower to wash the plane off and put Aiden's t-shirt on the pillow with a fresh spritz of his cologne. She ignored the tournament pack on the desk and the bags filled with her tournament gear. Climbing into bed, she pulled the covers up to her neck and took a quick selfie for Aiden.

Kate: Made it safe and sound. Need some sleep. Goodnight, love you.

Kate woke up later than she would have liked and decided against breakfast in the main dining room. She knew she'd missed the busy window and most players would have made their way to Melbourne Park for the morning practice session before the day heated up. But the hotel would still be a madhouse. Players were still arriving, arguing with tournament reps about their room assignments and using the public areas to chat with their teams.

Picking up her phone, she texted Pheobe.

Kate: Breakfast in my room. Don't want to re-engage just yet.

Kate then ordered breakfast for both of them; she didn't bother looking at the room service menu. It was irrelevant during a tournament; the kitchens would accommodate any request at any time.

After ordering some omelettes, fruit and yoghurt parfaits, she turned her attention to the tournament pack. Putting her player pass to the side, she threw out most of the sponsored flyers that occupied every pack. She looked at some of the freebies and realised they were mostly irrelevant to her and put them aside for Phoebe to take her pick. She already had her preferred electrolytes and sunscreen for the week, and she didn't need the vouchers.

Kate was just organising her new clothes into the piles she'd need for the week, when Phoebe let herself into the room. It was an agreement from the beginning of their partnership that Pheobe would always keep a secondary keycard. They spent so much time together, morning updates, room service meals, it was impractical for her to knock every time she needed to see Kate.

"Food should be here in a few, help yourself to the freebies. Let me know if you want any of my new kit, and I'll order more," Kate said, pulling out a new hoodie and looking at it in the mirror.

"You know I get my own gear allowance to make sure there's no branding conflict," Phoebe laughed.

When the food arrived, Kate sat at the small dining table and faced her assistant.

Over the next hour, Phoebe explained Kate's commitments for the week, sponsors' mixers, dinner with Damon and lunches with her brand reps, her practice slots, the arrangements with her hitting partners for the week, a couple of the lower-ranked girls in the British system.

"Once the tournament starts, you'll mostly be drifting between your sponsors' hospitality tents, being visible. We're flying back to England on the rest day between the fourth round and the start of the quarters. Sky, ITV, and the BBC have all requested interviews while we're here. So have the Daily Mail and the Guardian."

"I'll do Sky, the BBC and the Guardian," Kate replied. "Daddy would disown me if I sat down with the Mail, they're a bit too interested in my personal life, and he's never forgiven them for their role in Brexit."

"I know, but I'm obligated to pass on the request," Phoebe laughed. "Especially since it's my understanding we need to be a bit more careful with your personal life now."

"Yes, it is," Kate smiled. "I've not spoken to Aiden about it yet, but my general idea is that I'm not going to hide the fact we're in a relationship. But I won't discuss it. Once the news comes out, I expect you to make it clear that mentioning him is the end of the interview."

"I will, but you also need to make that clear to Damon," Phoebe replied. "He doesn't respect my voice, even though your dad has empowered me to speak on his behalf. He knows my contract is with your dad, not you, which means I'm irrelevant to him. You're the client, he can't flat out refuse you."

Kate nodded and turned her attention to her immediate needs. Going to the tennis complex, securing her locker and picking up her racquets for the week. She also wanted to absorb the atmosphere. Even though the tournament hadn't started yet, there would be fans floating around for autographs and the exhibition events.

Tennis was a complicated sport; in most sports, players were kept separate from the fans, but in tennis, players had to use the same public paths as they drifted between courts and their private areas. They were escorted by security to matches, but outside of that, players typically roamed on their own. Some used their support teams as buffers, and the superstars had private security. Kate didn't mind; there was a general etiquette, and most people were polite when they requested autographs and pictures, and gracious when they were refused. Still, she wanted to ease herself back in while things were still quiet.

After picking up her racquets and storing them in her locker, Kate wandered the tournament grounds before finding herself watching a qualifier. She always tried to watch these games when she could. They intrigued her more than matches in the main draw did. Most of them would never become full-time touring pros; those that did would become journeymen pros, barely breaking even as they fought to fulfil their dream. Kate's junior pedigree had allowed her to skip this stage, as a junior champion, she'd been given automatic wildcards to Wimbledon and the US Open, and by the time the other slams arrived, she was ranked high enough for automatic entry. But there was a desire driven by desperation that made these matches exciting. The players weren't motivated by the chance at greatness or winning the championship. They just wanted the chance to live their dream of making the main draw, even if it only happened once.

At the end of the afternoon, Kate finally found a free practice court. She wanted to expend some of her nervous energy before she met Damon for dinner. If she could get him on her side for her new reality, life would be much easier. The sponsor mixers and other events just required muscle memory. Keep a smile on, limit herself to one glass of champagne before switching to sparkling grape juice that looked the same, take a few pictures with her peers surrounded by company bigwigs, and compliment the VIP guests who paid small fortunes to be there.

Kate didn't bother dressing up for dinner. Normally, the main restaurant at a five-star hotel would have a dress code, but during tournaments, they were never enforced on players. Her father had taught her early on that true power was forcing an environment to conform to you. There was a reason some billionaires didn't bother with business suits. She wanted to make it clear that her agent was dealing with the tennis player, not the private entity, so she wore one of her new tracksuits.

Unsurprisingly, Damon was already waiting in a crisp, tailored suit when she arrived. Kate paused as he stood up and they exchanged air kisses, completely ignoring the fact that they had almost no direct contact since she'd voted against him when she got injured.

"Kate, it's so good to see you back where you belong," Damon said. "Please sit, let's eat before we discuss your future. I've been looking forward to this."

"It's good to be back," Kate said with a professional smile before taking her seat and picking up the menu."

"Wine?" Damon offered.

"Just a small white wine spritzer, please," Kate replied. "I have practice for my exhibition in the morning."

"Of course, I should have remembered. It's good to see you getting involved, even if you're not playing in the main draw. I hope you don't mind if I indulge a bit. I want to celebrate having one of my stars back."

Kate nodded and turned her head to the menu, knowing he'd make a show of lavishly ordering to highlight his generosity, even though it was probably her commissions that would pay for the dinner.

They kept their conversation light through the starters and main courses, discussing Kate's time in Botswana. The mood shifted when Kate declined dessert, and Damon followed her lead, ordering a large brandy instead.

"Kate, I have to say," Damon said. "I think you're making a mistake reducing your tournament load this year. We need to take advantage of your comeback year."

"Damon, my priorities shifted while I was away," Kate replied evenly. "I'm skipping Qatar, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, so I can go to Florida and get back up to speed. But other than that, I'm playing in every 1000 series event this year. I'll even play Queens or Eastbourne before Wimbledon, depending on which accepts my entry first. Let's be honest, no one actually follows most of the 250 or 500s."

"Do you really think you can just go back to that level?" Damon asked.

"It doesn't matter if I can or can't, that's the path I decided," Kate replied. "I'm still me, I was world number nineteen and rising when I got hurt. Or do you think I've lost it?"

"Of course not, I had you down as a Slam challenger this year, but you're turning down free rankings points," Damon replied. "Tell me about your shifting priorities."

"I've met someone, he is just as important to me as my tennis," Kate said, meeting his eye. "As long as he'll have me, my days of living out of a suitcase are over. I'll meet every corporate commitment, I'll hit all my appearance days, and even exceed them when he isn't with me. But he is my priority."

"I was afraid of this, who?"

"Aiden, you know my PT and childhood friend."

"That changes things," Damon said. "What a story. Childhood friends, professional partners, now lovers."

"About that, there is no story," Kate said firmly. "I won't hide our relationship, he'll attend events with me, but I won't discuss our relationship publicly, and I expect you to ensure there is no press intrusion. Daddy knows, and so does Phoebe, I will end every interview that brings him up. It's your job to make that clear to everyone who puts in a request."

"Kate, you're missing the opportunity, you could even handle the narrative, there are other ways, podcasts, vlogs, giving your fans an inside look into your world. That market is still growing. Britain's tennis princess and childhood sweetheart."

"Damon, the answer is no. I owe the world the tennis player, not my private life. Are you on my team, or should I ask Daddy to activate my exit clause?"

"We don't need to get so dramatic," Damon said quickly. "It's my job to explore new avenues for you to earn from."

"I know that," Kate replied. "And if you want me to be the face of a new range of kids' snacks, send the offer sheet to Daddy, and I'll consider it. Consider it my way of making up for my reduced tournament load. But my personal life is not on the table. Am I clear?"

"Crystal," Damon said, nodding. "We still need to train him. He has some protection living in Oxford, but less scrupulous journos will still try, and his snapping at the intrusion will reflect badly on you."

"We can do that," Kate agreed. "Agree on a plan with Daddy, and let me talk to him first, and we'll take it from there."

"Has he signed an NDA?"

"No, and if you raise it again, I'll activate my exit clause right now," Kate replied. "If he fails me, my family and I will deal with it internally; his mum would kill him for starters."

"You changed while you were away," Damon said.

"To quote my brother, 'Love does that'," Kate replied. "Thank you for your time, but I need to rest. Let's skip the pretence for once, charge our dinner to Daddy, I'm probably paying it anyway, you can even have another brandy."

Kate stood up and gave Damon another air kiss before walking back to her room, feeling proud of her stand. She didn't really need to end the dinner so abruptly, but she wanted to decompress before her goodnight call with Aiden. Until she saw him and could explain in person, she wanted to shield him from the background manoeuvring over his place in her life. She felt that having handled Damon, she could reassure him that his place by her side was secure and protected from public scrutiny.

"Hi," Kate smiled brightly when Aiden called at their appointed time.

"Hey, how's your first day Down Under been?" Aiden replied.

"Productive," Kate said honestly. "I've just had dinner with my agent to secure my commitments for the year; he's on board with me playing less to see you more."

"I didn't realise he had a vote in that," Aiden admitted. "I thought we settled that with your Dad."

"He doesn't really, but he does have an obligation to make sure I meet all my corporate obligations," Kate admitted. "It's easier when I'm playing a full load."

"So what's the plan for that?" Aiden asked.

Kate took a moment to decide how much to reveal before replying.

"Well, it's complicated," she finally admitted. "Most of the tournaments I'm playing have non-negotiables - obligations that I can't get out of. Grand Slams are the worst. I explained that part to you. I also have to make a certain number of appearances for my sponsors throughout the year. Typically, I can spread the rest across the schedule, but due to my lighter load, I'm going to have to make up for that at the tournaments when you aren't with me. But it's only really the pre-tournament stuff we have to worry about, once the playing starts, even my sponsors know rest and recovery supersede corporate gladhanding."

"I'm starting to realise why this part of your world never interested me before," Aiden laughed.

"Look, it won't be too bad," Kate said earnestly. "You've already accepted you'll have to attend mixers with me, that's the big part. Popping into hospitality tents is just part of my nine to five. You won't even notice those. Once the playing starts, my nights are all yours."

"Okay," Aiden smiled. "By the way, I do have a special video for you, but I thought I should wait until you'd recovered from your jet lag first."

"Send it," Kate said immediately. "I probably don't have the headspace tonight, but I can't think of a better way to start my day before the real work begins."

"Okay, good night, Tennis Star," Aiden said.

"Good night, my love," Kate said, kissing the screen and putting her phone to the side.

She waited until it buzzed with Aiden's message before turning off her bedside lamp and falling asleep.

Kate used Aiden's video when she woke up. Instead of the sensual self-seduction, she had filmed for him. She went straight after her orgasm. It wasn't even a time constraint since she had woken up early, but how turned on she was. While she didn't remember dreaming, she imagined that her subconscious mind had taken over and knowing the video was there was enough to set her mood. An orgasm was truly the best start to the day. Sending him a kiss emoji. She went off in search of Phoebe and her practice partners, who were meeting her in the dining room.

Kate quickly settled into the rhythm of the tournament. She still didn't fully feel a part of it, as a non-player, but the practice sessions helped remind her of the atmosphere. She even found herself enjoying her social obligations. Apart from her official duties, she kept Phoebe close. She felt there was less chance of her being seen in an ambiguous position that the press and social media could exploit if her assistant was always in the frame.

She even enjoyed her exhibition. It wasn't so much a tennis match but a comedy show. The top seeds would play a proper mixed doubles match, Kate's event was a lawless four-on-four where the doubles combinations mixed and matched while showboating for the crowd.

Kate's defining contribution came when one of her male opponents, Ivan Hendriks, loudly challenged her over the PA system.

"Come on, Smith, let's see how well that knee has healed," he said before putting a slice serve out wide.

Without thinking about her knee, Kate reacted instinctively and put her return at his feet, forcing a weak half-volley that she dispatched for the point.

"Wow, Ivan, I thought your serve was meant to be a weapon," Kate taunted, generating a laugh from the crowd.

She smiled as Ivan gave her a nod and a laugh while using his racquet to applaud her taunt.

Kate made sure to share all these experiences during her daily call with Aiden. She was still feeling guilty for keeping him in the dark about how much exposure he'd have to face when he joined her. She was still hoping that he'd accept the decisions she'd made to shield him when she finally got the chance to see him.

Kate managed to keep up this rhythm all the way until the tournament's opening day. She was observing the breakfast scene in the hotel, and how far removed she felt from it now that the actual business of the tournament was about to begin. This was her world, but her injury had kept her away from it for months. She watched the other players interact. The weird bond between sharing a lifestyle and not wanting to share too much. She could guess the conversations happening around her--the good wishes for the tournament, without sharing anything that might give away an edge.

Kate was thinking about joining in when a familiar voice caught her attention.

"Hey Kiddo."

Kate looked up to see Joanna Humphreys, Kate's predecessor as the British number 1. Joanna had retired the season before Kate's injury. She had never won a Slam, but she'd been the consummate touring pro. Ranking high enough to be respected without ever taking the leap into greatness. In many ways, coming through the British system, Jo had been Kate's true idol. Guiding her through her early days, even playing doubles together for Team GB in the Billie Jean King Cup.

"Hey, Jo," Kate smiled. "You haven't called me Kiddo in a while."

"You'll always be Kiddo to me. I'll never forget the first time you turned up at a GB training camp. What were you, sixteen? You were so eager to prove herself," Joanna said, sitting down.

"Thanks, Jo," Kate said politely. "But you haven't called me Kiddo since I turned pro. Spill."

"You've been hitting well this week," Jo remarked. "You've always hit beautifully, but it's been different. I know practice hitting doesn't count, but it looks like you've been trying to hit the right shot instead of the best shot. That was always your weakness."

"I could beat you when I was nineteen," Kate laughed. "I'm not sure you're the best observer."

"You could beat a touring pro committed to her own game, and you never beat me, Time did," Jo corrected. "Wait until you're thirty-two and the years of strain start catching up with you, each day you recover a little less. As for my observational skills, you're smarter than that. Every pro in this room could watch a grand slam final and point out every mistake; how many can turn that knowledge into winning?"

"Thanks for the confidence," Kate replied, looking down. "What's this about?"

"I want to coach you. I'm not ready to be a pundit or a pin-up coach to boost membership at some exclusive club in Surrey. I want to be close to the action. I want to have a stake in the fight. I'm not up to the day-to-day stress of matches and recovery anymore, but I still haven't gotten over my addiction to the thrill."

"Jo, you're a player, not a coach," Kate said cautiously. "There aren't a lot of players who've turned into successful coaches."

"Don't think about technique corrections," Joanna replied. "You're too old for that. I don't want to change your style or approach. I want to coach you player-to-player. I'm not so far removed from playing that I can't be a high-level hitting partner. I could probably still beat the girls you've been hitting with, it'll just take me longer to recover. We analyse together, and I'll work on the strategy with you. I mean, your other weaknesses are well known. Do you have a better offer?"

"What do you mean by weaknesses?" Kate protested.

"That's a conversation to have with your coach," Joanna said pointedly.

Kate paused before agreeing. Joanna was right. She didn't have a better offer yet. She was still sceptical about it, but she liked Jo. Their past together would let them skip past the getting-to-know-you stage, and they could just focus on the tennis.

"Okay," Kate conceded. "I'm still working my way back into this. How about we do a trial run? You work with me through to the end of the clay season and reassess?"

"Deal," Joanna smiled.

"I'll have Daddy send you my basic coaching contract," Kate laughed. "Tour base, travel and hotels and 10% of any appearance fees and prize money income."

"Let's keep it to the tour base until after the trial period," Joanna replied.

"Deal," Kate smiled. "So, how do we do this?"

"Well, I haven't signed anything yet, but I suppose we can symbolise this over dinner," Joanna replied. "If you pay, I'll even tell you about some of your known weaknesses. Let's spend the day wandering matches. You can tell me about what's going on in your world away from tennis so I know how much time you realistically have."

Kate quickly sent a text to her father detailing the new development, before passing her phone to Joanna so she could add her email address. Kate waited until she received a thumbs-up reply and a small text of approval.

Daddy: Good work, Princess. Phoebe will have the contract by tonight. She can sign digitally. We'll worry about the paper version when you're back in England.

Kate found herself enjoying Joanna's company as they wandered around the park, taking in the games on the smaller courts. It reminded her of their days from the Team GB camp, where Joanna would offer Kate advice about life on tour and the importance of keeping a home base as a grounding point to return to. As they walked, Kate reflected that was likely the reason she'd made no attempt to move out of her parents' house despite her means to live alone. At the time, it just seemed more practical when she spent so little time there, but now with Aiden, she'd have to see if there was space for her in his flat or if she should explore investing in their own property.

As they settled over lunch in the players' lounge, Kate finally decided to tell Joanna about the change in her life.

"I have a partner now," Kate said. "I'm giving him equal standing to tennis, so I'm only focusing on the mandatory events. I might add a few here and there if needed, but I'm not playing a full load."

"Is he going to tour?" Joanna asked, leaning forward.

"No," Kate answered, looking at her salad. "He'll join me at the Slams, and some other big events like Wells and Madrid. But he's staying home in Oxford for the most part, that's where his life is."

"Does he understand the demands of your life?"

"He should," Kate laughed. "He's known me since I was two, and he's my personal trainer. But seriously, he knows the sacrifices that come with being a part of my life, and he understands that absences will be a part of it. I'm playing less to make up for that."

"I can't imagine your agent or sponsors are happy, but as a fellow pro, I can see the value," Joanna replied. "A smaller load gives you more time to focus on the individual swings. I'm not sure how we're going to run the clay swing if you want to be based in Oxford."

"The University has a clay court at their Iffley Road complex," Kate said. "I've never reached out about access, because before Aiden, I'd just prep in Spain.

"So we'll use that," Joanna said. "I'm on the west side of London, so commuting a few days a week won't be brutal."

"You've clearly never driven in Oxford, Jo. We'll get you a hotel, or more likely, Mum will offer you the spare room. Anyway, I don't know how to make the request," Kate complained.

"You don't," Joanna replied. "Let our masters at the LTA do some work. Every tennis club, even universities, need to be affiliated to be recognised. You're the ranking women's professional in the system; they're obligated to provide you access. Anyway, I doubt the University would deny their hometown girl using their courts."

"Okay, now my turn to ask you a question," Kate replied. "I've made some career missteps recently regarding my sponsors. Do you have any deals that might complicate my life?"

"No, I mean there's a general expectation, I wear their branding, but I'm no longer under contract with anyone," Joanna replied. "My deal with you would supersede any expectations. I know the rules, I'd like to keep using my racquets, if possible, just for the private blocks. I'm happy to use one of your practice spares at comps since it'll mostly just be feeding you balls. "

"I'll have Daddy and Damon look into it. I think it's mostly the clothing issue," Kate replied. "It's not like it's unheard of for pros to experiment with other brands during training blocks. I think we can compromise if your stringbed isn't branded."

Joanna unofficially observed Kate's afternoon hitting session before they went for dinner. Kate smiled as Phoebe joined them.

"I have Jo's contract and a draft press release for you two to approve," Phoebe smiled. "I'll also need Jo's sizes to get her some gear."

Kate observed as Jo briefly scanned the contract before squiggling the dotted line, before shrugging.

"I did this for a living, I'm pretty sure standard coaching agreements, especially trial ones, haven't changed. I'm not fussed about the press release."

"Phoebs, can you get Jo upgraded to a coach's pass now that it's official?" Kate asked.

"We'll have it in the morning," Phoebe confirmed. "Do you want me to move her to the players' hotel?"

"No, we both know it's already overrun," Joanna said diplomatically. "Let's keep mine, it's quieter, so we can use it for meetings. Why doesn't Phoebe join us so she can give me a full breakdown on being Team Smith? I imagine, like most players, Kate only knows where's next on the tour."

Kate mostly took a back seat as Phoebe explained the ins and outs of her professional life. Some of the details of the lengths her father and Phoebe went to keep her inbox clear were surprising even to her. She needed to take a look at Phoebe's contract and talk to her father to see if a raise was possible. If not, she'd pay her a small bonus out of her discretionary fund.

Once Jo was satisfied, they toasted to their new arrangement over a couple of glasses of non alcoholic fizz before Kate excused herself to make her call with Aiden.

"Hey," Kate said as Aiden's face appeared. "I have big news."

"It would be polite to let me return your greeting," Aiden laughed. "But you're clearly excited, so let me have it."

"I'm pregnant," Kate replied deadpan.

"Try again, I know you have an implant," Aiden grinned.

"I have a new coach," Kate smiled.

"That's good, anyone whose name I'd recognise?"

"Jo Humphreys," Kate smiled.

"I remember her," Aiden laughed again. "I'm pretty sure I had a crush on her at one point."

"You really are just one of those pervs with a tennis skirt fetish," Kate teased.

"Maybe, but maybe it was because you were forbidden to me for so long, so I used her as your proxy," Aiden countered. "You were and technically still are my god-sibling, and she was always on telly, especially at Wimbledon. I've already admitted I'd been in love with you for years, and I'm not sure when it started."

"Nice save, Gym Bro," Kate giggled. "Main draw started today, so I'll be home in a week or so, so make sure you eat your Weetabix. I have designs for you, fake Aiden is great, but I miss the real one."

"What do your designs entail, Miss Smith?" Aiden said, keeping a straight face.

"For starters, telling you to get your flat professionally cleaned before I arrive," Kate replied. "You may think you're tidy, but I have an older brother; I'm not trusting a bachelor to keep a clean flat."

"Kate, we shared a guesthouse in Botswana, you're filthier than me," Aiden said exasperated.

"That's a lie, women are naturally clean creatures," Kate giggled again. "Anyway, if I was messy, it's because I've been mostly living out of suitcases and kitbags since I was eighteen. Now tell me you love me and goodnight so I can rest."

"I love you, Kate, and sleep well," Aiden said softly.

"Night, Baby," Kate whispered, kissing the screen before ending the call and turning off her light.

For the rest of their time in Australia, Joanna continued to observe while Kate kept up her commitment to her existing training partners. It was only near the end of the week, and most of them had been knocked out, that she asked for a personal hitting session. It was far more fierce than Kate was used to for a practice hit. This wasn't Joanna Humphreys, Kate's new coach. It was Jo Humphreys, the professional, seeking to make Kate uncomfortable. Kate had to dig deep to find her natural advantage over her. Kate had won eight points in a row before Jo called time.

When they were done, Jo smiled at Kate while tossing her a towel.

"Good, now I know what I want us to start working on."

"Oh, anything interesting?" Kate asked.

"I'll tell you at training camp," Joanna said. "Now is the time for you to go home and enjoy being with your lad. But for now, I think we should bring your comeback forward and you compete at Wells. Everything I've seen this week tells me you're ready. I'll talk to your dad about moving your training base to Stanford. It's the best tennis programme in the States and it's better for California."

"Okay, I'll have Phoebe accept my wildcard on the way."

"See you soon, Kiddo," Joanna said, reaching for a hug.

Kate's excitement to return to England and Aiden was tempered by the realities of the long journey from Australia. She'd opted to take the route via Singapore simply because she liked the airport, and the layover was long enough to get out and walk around the city-state. No matter how she did it, at least one of the legs would keep her in the air for over 14 hours. Aiden had worked out that was the edge of the limit her body could handle without disrupting her ability to recover quickly and keep up with the demands of her career.

Arriving in London, she saw Aiden waiting for her with a 'Welcome Home' balloon. Smiling, she turned to Pheobe.

"Thanks for everything. Come and meet my man," Kate said, hugging her before turning to her favourite person.

"Kate, I run your life, I've met Aiden several times," Phoebe giggled.

"You've met my personal trainer, now you're meeting my partner," Kate replied, taking control of her trolley.

"I missed you so much," Kate whispered, allowing herself to be swept into his arms.

Kate smiled as Aiden and Aiden refamiliarised themselves with each other.

"Nice to see you again," Aiden said politely. "Do you need a lift or anything?"

"No, I'm fine," Phoebe said nicely. "I'm spending tonight in London to sort out Kate's new training requirements, and my travel allowance allows me to get an executive car back to Oxford. You two enjoy your reunion."

Kate hugged Phoebe one more time, "Upgrade your hotel room and treat yourself to a nice dinner. I'll clear it with Daddy. I'll reimburse you if he pushes back."

After their final farewells, Kate hooked her arm into Aiden's as he took control of her luggage trolley and led them to his car. Kate almost fell over laughing when she saw it. It was a new Land Rover Defender.

"What the hell is that?" Kate squealed.

"My new car," Aiden said, opening the boot. "Yes, I know how your family feels - Will has already made that clear. But it's a good car, and I don't intend to off-road in it, but the luggage space works for my needs, especially if I have to transport you and your kit around until you get a car. Your dad has even taken it for a spin."

"I don't believe it," Kate laughed.

"I didn't say he approved, I said he took it for a spin," Aiden clarified. "He said it's a perfectly good car for a young, slightly over-privileged business owner in North Oxford, but he'd have preferred I get an Audi Q5 or something."

"Oh, thank God, I was worried he'd had a personality transplant while I was in Australia," Kate said, sliding into the passenger seat.

Kate let Aiden manage the complicated road system around Heathrow and through the chaos of the M25 and onto the M40 towards Oxford before she spoke.

"I'm not sure I need my own car," Kate said. "Even if I'm spending more time at home, it's still Oxford, and driving is more trouble than it's worth. Can't we just put me on the insurance for this? If I really need a car, Mum and Dad still have the A3 they bought for Let and me to share when we got our licenses. Let never touches it since she's mostly in London unless she wants to ride at her old stables in Hampton Poyle. And the furthest Will goes from the house when he is home is the pub or town, which are definitely more convenient without a car."

"I've heard about the different insurance rates for athletes, and this one's already registered," Aiden replied.

"You could always gift it to me, and Daddy could register it under my limited company with you as an authorised user," Kate suggested.

"I have to be an employee of your company to be an authorised user," Aiden replied. "That reminds me, part of the reason Uncle Mike wanted to take a drive was so we could have an interesting conversation about my future. Want to tell me your side?"

"Can you tell me what Daddy said first?" Kate asked. "I don't doubt what Daddy said. But things happened in Australia, and I might be able to clear some of it up."

"Well, the basics are that I have some interesting and lucrative options, but if I take them in their current form, I have to say goodbye to being your partner. If I turn them down, I have to say goodbye to being your PT. There was also something about being in the public eye."

"Okay," Kate said quietly. "He gave you less detail than he gave me, but that's enough for me to work with. You don't have to say goodbye to either; it's how we publicly present them. Yes, I have inadvertently brought you into the public eye by promoting you. Which you know helped get you here. Your 'lucrative options' as you put it, are my fault. Remember our first morning together when I suggested getting you some apparel and possibly pursuing a partnership for you? That was a mistake. It blurred the line over who you are in my life further. We have a solution to manage it, but you might not like it. You already know you're going to be my partner at tournaments, but you might have to accept a little more media exposure. I've made it clear to my team I won't publicly discuss our relationship. In return, I have to stop promoting you and publicising our professional dynamic. It separates our brands and allows you to keep the endorsements without you being in my professional sphere. Daddy thinks he can make it work if you're no longer professionally associated with me. I think it will work because you've never really toured with me, so you're not an overly visible part of my life. So I acknowledge our relationship, but I'll never discuss it and make our lives available for public consumption."

"Oh, Tennis Star," Aiden sighed. "I never thought for one second that I was going to avoid media exposure. I just didn't want to fall into the background of your life once tennis became the priority again."

"I promised you won't fall into the background, and I meant it," Kate said honestly. "But your acceptance brings up something else. We need to get you training; you need to learn how to manage yourself if the press tries to pry into your life without losing your temper. Daddy and Damon will get you a media coach."

"I can live with that," Aiden replied. "So just to be clear, no interviews with lifestyle pages?"

"None, after your debut in California, the word will be spread that my personal life is off limits."

"Okay," Aiden replied. "I kind of guessed this by the way, I did some research into what it's like to be an athlete's partner when I got home. I just wanted to hear what your plan was. I would have pulled over in Wycombe if you expected me to do more than I already agreed to. I accepted that some form of public visibility was inevitable. I just don't want to be lost in your tour brand."

"Never," Kate said, reaching for his hand.

"Good, now it's a bit naughty, but I have a funny feeling you haven't hit your calories with all the travel over the last two days, so pizza from the White Rabbit?"

"Diavola, please," Kate said immediately. "We'll need to get some chicken strips or wings to make up my protein intake"

"That's what air fryers were invented for. I should have some in the freezer," Aiden replied drily. "

"God, I love you," Kate said, settling back into her seat.

Arriving at Aiden's flat, Kate was quietly surprised, it was a two-bed penthouse, in a small but nice, secure building not too far from their parents' homes, his gym and her home tennis club. She supposed it was a marker of his success, not too ostentatious but comfortable enough. It occurred to her she'd never visited before. Before their relationship, all their gatherings away from the gym would have been at her parents or his.

Kate let Aiden point out the drawer and wardrobe space he created for her.

"I don't really need that much space, all my clothes on tour are provided," Kate laughed. "I have very little in the way of day-to-day wear, and we're close enough that I can keep the samples I get sent at my folks' place."

"I never thought I'd get told off for making space for my partner," Aiden laughed. "I am a bit disappointed to discover you won't be keeping any dresses or skirts here. I'd kind of like to take you on a few dates where you aren't wearing leggings or a tracksuit."

"I suppose I can make that work, though I don't see the point," Kate laughed. "You know the rules, you can't see what I'm wearing on a date until I appear, or were you not listening when Daddy explained the code our mothers created? It's a show, how can I take your breath away, if you know what I'm wearing?"

"I heard the code," Aiden sighed. "I just didn't realise it was for every date."

"It's for every romantic date," Kate clarified. "A coffee date at Gail's doesn't count, but a dinner date at Le Manoir, I'm definitely surprising you."

"If we're going to Le Manoir, you're definitely the one booking it," Aiden replied. "Normal people don't just get reservations at two Michelin star restaurants."

Before Kate could reply, the doorbell went off, signifying their pizza had arrived.

By the time Kate got her fill of the pizza, she could feel the jet lag creeping up on her. Her exhaustion only got worse as they moved to the sofa to watch a film. Aiden must have heard her yawn as she settled against him because he shook her gently.

"Hey, you can go to bed if you want." He said gently.

"No," Kate replied, shaking her head. "I need to put it off for as long as possible. I probably won't make it to the end, but I'm comfy here, and I haven't fallen asleep with you next to me in weeks. Just wake me when you're ready for bed."

Kate woke up feeling refreshed. It took a few moments to blink away the exhaustion and remember where she was. Waking up in unfamiliar environments didn't bother her; that was an occupational requirement. She was a little disappointed, though; she was clearly in Aiden's bed, but he wasn't there, so he'd clearly carried her while she slept. There was also the disappointment that she was still dressed in her travel top, sports bra and knickers. It seemed that their time apart meant he'd forgotten the no-clothes rule. She was about to get up and complain when he poked his head through the door.

"Yes, I didn't wake you, and yes, you're still dressed, but you try moving deadweight and undressing a comatose person," Aiden smiled. "Now get up, I've got your omelette ready, and we'll take a recovery walk. Then we can discuss me breaking the rules."

"Only my parents and Lettie get to read my mind and call out my thoughts, Dyer," Kate laughed.

"I could stop and demote myself back into the personal trainer," Aiden challenged.

"Your choice, but I hope you like a life of celibacy," Kate replied with a grin. "If I can't have you, no one can. I'll find myself a nice billionaire husband who wants a tennis professional for a trophy wife, and use his money to keep you single until you beg for me back and keep you as my toyboy. I won't actually fuck him, that's your job, and he'll have mistresses for that."

"I swear your family has the most creative threats," Aiden said, matching her grin.

"We know what we want, and once we have it, we know the lengths we'll go to keep it," Kate replied, getting up. "And anyway, your biggest transgression has not been giving me my good morning kiss."

Despite her grumbling, Kate was secretly pleased with the extent of Aiden's care; she needed the sleep if she was going to enjoy the small window of time they had, and it didn't really cut into her plans for the day, which was mostly keeping him in bed. She knew she'd have to make time for her parents, and she was still determined to visit her London relatives before she headed to the States. But she'd be exploring sexual dynamics in her free moments while she was in Australia. She was still against any form of sharing or group play, but she'd found several ideas that intrigued her that didn't break her monogamous preferences.

She'd been thinking that these windows would be the perfect time to explore some of these. The separations would give them the space to reflect if the dynamic would work for them. She knew, ultimately, that offering a new adventure every time they separated was unsustainable, but she hoped that in time, they'd find a few they liked and could put them on rotation. Two in particular had been playing on the submissive side of her mind. She wanted to try a controlled free use setting; she knew she didn't want to veer too far down that path, where consensual non-consent became involved. But a short window where Aiden could have her anytime intrigued her. From what she read, done properly, it could create an almost constant state of arousal simply from the knowledge that they could engage in sex at any moment.

The other was trickier for her; she was slightly intrigued by anal play. Not going all the way into anal sex, but plugs intrigued her. Part of it was the illicitness. She'd read accounts of women learning to wear them over hours and feeling constantly stimulated, leading to more powerful orgasms during the act. She was still undecided there. Her first thought was to try it privately before including Aiden. The other part of her told her it was impractical because if she wasn't with him, she'd be in tennis mode, and there was no scenario where she could wear one during a training or tournament block.

She briefly considered asking her mother or sister for advice, but even Kate understood the unspoken boundaries in the openness of their relationship. She was also terrified of them being able to advise her on these new lines of thought, and where they gained the knowledge. Some things were better not to know.

Instead, Kate had a better idea. After their breakfast, Kate suggested they go into town.

"Why?" Aiden asked. "Watching you being mobbed at the Westgate wasn't on the list."

"I don't get mobbed at the Westgate. Anyway, I'm not being held hostage in my hometown," Kate countered. "You know as well as I do most celebs are left alone in Oxford, and January isn't exactly tourist season. I'll wear one of my caps, keep the peak low, add my winter coat, and I'll just be another blonde girl in leggings walking through the city with her boyfriend."

"Fine," Aiden sighed. "You hop in the shower and I'll tidy up and order our Uber."

Kate went to shower feeling satisfied. With her disguise, she planned to steer him into Ann Summers and use her recovery walk to visit the specialist sex shop at the bottom of the Cowley Road. They wouldn't buy anything, but she could track how he reacted to certain toys and mentally see if they fit with her desires. If a purchase needed to be made, she could order it online. She could even frame the Ann Summers trip as for his benefit to see the lingerie styles he liked. She now understood that lingerie only worked if it made her feel confident, and she knew how Aiden preferred her: naked. But she enjoyed adding a little allure.

Within half an hour, they were ready to go. When Kate appeared, she nearly laughed at Aiden's reaction.

"It still amazes me that you can turn so unrecognisable with a cap and forgoing make-up," He remarked.

"We get lessons when we turn pro," Kate laughed. "It's a secret, a senior pro takes a debutant into her room and teaches her the tricks of the trade."

"That's a joke, right?" Aiden smiled.

"Partially, it's not a senior pro, but it's part of our media training," Kate admitted. "Even on court, I'm wearing make-up and model standard setting spray, not all the girls like it, but sponsors encourage it because of how often we're photographed before, during and after matches. I wasn't so keen when I first turned pro and was conscious of acne and things like that. But I get comped professional cleansers, and not being perfectly made up becomes part of the disguise. Even my hair makes a difference. Most of the world sees me with a ponytail or braid, which I swear adds to the perverted fantasies, so having my hair down can be different enough so people don't focus on my face."

"Sorry, Kate, but it definitely adds to the fantasy," Aiden joked. "Men don't see a ponytail, we see something to hold onto and tug. It's almost ingrained. We start with pigtails and work our way up."

Kate supplemented her disguise with a scarf, as it was January in England. Despite Aiden's concerns, she had no worries. Once they hit the town, most people would be so into their own world that they wouldn't be noticed. She often felt the same way in London. Obviously, she had to be more cautious about appearing in Chelsea, Mayfair or Knightsbridge. However, Kate had often found anonymity in London or New York fairly easy to find. People were too concerned with their own lives to care about the girl with a passing resemblance to a tennis player they'd only seen on TV a few times.

In the shopping centre, she played her hand perfectly by not dragging Aiden into Ann Summers immediately. She made sure they completed a full loop of the complex and used it as a stop on their way out.

"It'll be fun, babe," She whispered. "If you see something you like, you can buy it, and I might just wear it for you."

Kate kept hold of his hand as they wandered through the lingerie section, mentally taking notes, as his eyes lingered on the bodysuits, corsets and basques. Her true success came when they went through the sex toy section, when he pretended to be embarrassed, but Kate noticed him eyeing the plugs and beginner bondage sets. She could work with that. She was still worried about how to use the plugs, but she'd work it out for him.

Having achieved her goal, Kate discarded the idea of the sex shop.

"Let's go to Quod, or walk back to St Giles and go to the Old Parsonage. I'd like a coffee and maybe a light lunch. They're both exclusive enough, I'll get left alone, we can even stop at the Rose and Crown on the way home. If Thom Yorke can go in there and be left alone, so can I."

"I love how confident you are about announcing the favourite local of Oxford's musical messiah," Aiden replied.

"I didn't announce anything you can't find on Google," Kate replied. "At least our local keeps its connection to me quiet."

Over lunch at the Old Parsonage, Kate quickly reflected on the menu and surmised she couldn't eat anything as offered.

"Nice restaurants are actually useless for athletes," Kate laughed.

"What do you mean?" Aiden said.

"I thought you were a sports scientist," Kate teased. "Look at the menu, it's all seasonal and winter-focused, it's too carb-based for me, especially after last night's pizza and today being about recovery. Michelin star places are worse, everything is so rich, and the amount of butter in everything is ridiculous."

"What do you want to do?" Aiden replied drily. "I can't think of anywhere close by that would be much better."

"I'm going to play the system, I've been recognised," Kate replied, smiling and signalling for the manager, who was not so discreetly watching them.

"Is there any way I could make a custom order?" Kate said charmingly.

"Of course, Miss Smith," the Manager replied. "If you need anything, just ask, I'm Owen."

"Thank you. Could I have a grilled chicken breast, but could you ask the chef for a bed of greens? Instead of the mash, could I have the grain salad?"

"Certainly," Owen replied. "Sir?"

"I'll have the same, but I'll keep it as written in the menu," Aiden replied, smirking at Kate. "I thought you didn't play up to your celebrity?" He asked once they were alone.

"I'm hungry," Kate shrugged. "He was watching us, so I imagine there's a picture request in my future. They might as well earn it."

Kate waited until they'd been served their lunch before she decided to broach the conversation about adding to their sex lives. She wanted to hear his thoughts before she revealed hers.

"Aide," Kate said slowly. "We haven't really spoken about it yet beyond me being a switch, but do you have anything in particular you want to try in the bedroom? I'd like to explore the windows when I'm home."

"Nothing serious," Aiden replied carefully. "Fantasy doesn't always meet reality. Why?"

"Okay, so in the shop, when you were looking at the bondage kits and plugs, those are fantasies you don't want to try?" Kate pressed.

"Well, I don't know if you have it in you to give in to bondage," Aiden laughed. "I love you and I know you have submissive moments, but you're also stupidly competitive, which is fine because it's your job. I'm not so sure about the plugs, I mean, I've thought about it, because you know porn. But it's not something I've thought about actually engaging in."

"Maybe I could let go of the competitiveness for you?" Kate said, leaning forward and lowering her voice even though she knew they were at a private table. "I've thought about the plugs too. I just don't know how to fit that in around my training."

"Well, that's the crux of the issue, isn't it?" Aiden sighed. "We have to factor in your recovery around all this. Why don't you work out a list of things you want to try and how we might apply them, and we'll take it from there."

They finished the afternoon by taking a casual stroll around the University Parks. Kate wasn't really paying attention. They both knew all the paths by heart; they often used them for her running, and it was the site of many summer picnics from their childhood, as well as more than one teenage indiscretion.

"Didn't you get your first kiss from Abigail Spencer behind that oak tree?" Kate asked.

"I think officially my first kiss was probably from you or Lettie," Aiden joked. "I seem to recall getting pulled into a game of catch-me kiss-me at some point."

"That was your sister's idea," Kate laughed. "You know that Nat had a crush on Will, and it's not like Lettie and I were going to chase our brother, so we had to make do."

"I'm pretty sure that crush didn't develop until later," Aiden replied deadpan.

Nope," Kate smirked. "She always loved him, up until he got his first girlfriend. She cried in our room for hours. Don't you remember she didn't speak to him for a week?"

"I think that's why Will and I developed the no sisters' pact," Aiden admitted. "Come on, let's head to your folks, they haven't seen you yet, and I'm sure there's some pressing issue you need your 'Daddy' to fix, Tennis Star. For starters, we need to tell him how we've decided to balance my visibility to the public."

"He already knows," Kate replied seriously.

"How does Uncle Mike know our decision when we haven't seen him?" Aiden asked.

"Because I'm pretty sure that after I told my agent that I won't discuss you publicly and/or monetise our relationship with a vlog or podcast, he called Daddy to complain."

Kate made their stop at her parents' house as efficient as possible. She only had a few days with Aiden before she'd be off again. It wasn't that she didn't miss them, but they'd long come to terms with her frequent absences. After the initial hugs, she left Aiden in the kitchen while she ran up to her room to collect a few personal items to keep at his place. They stayed long enough to collect her new cards, have a cup of tea and promise she'd return for a proper visit the next day, before rushing Aiden home.

At the flat, she immediately put her plan into action.

"Where do you want to put this stuff?" Aiden asked.

"I'll deal with that later, I'm pissed at you," Kate said, frowning.

"What have I done now?" Aiden said, rolling his eyes.

"Well, yesterday was the first time you'd seen me in weeks," Kate said, now smiling through her mock annoyance. "And instead of showing me how much you missed me by taking me to bed and keeping me in the throes of pleasure until I begged you to stop, you worried about small things like feeding me and being caring. Maybe you didn't miss me as much as you claimed."

"Sorry, I didn't want to take advantage of an exhausted person whose entire livelihood depends on proper recovery protocols," Aiden chuckled.

"It's okay, we can fix it," Kate replied. "We're going to share a shower. Then I'm going to blow you before you return the favour. It's been too long since I've tasted you. Then I expect you to keep me in bed until I'm properly sated, then I'll need extra before I head to the States. I'll make allowances for food and comfort breaks."

Kate didn't bother waiting to have the shower first. As soon as he was naked, she was on her knees using the bathmat to protect herself from the tile. The last time she'd had him in her mouth, it had been a deliberate act of self-degradation to emphasise her love for him. This was about reconnection. She started slowly with long licks to remember his taste before she sought out his pleasure. She didn't expect him to last, and she didn't want him to. She was well aware he had the stamina to keep her happy. A quick release would mean he'd longed for this moment as much as she had. She also wanted to remind him that his right hand couldn't replace her.

Aiden's reciprocation wasn't what Kate expected. He'd always made a point of slowly drawing out her pleasure, but he was straight to the point, immediately focused on her pleasure centre. The intensity was overwhelming, and her first instinct was to push his head away, yet in practice, she pulled him closer and kept his head where it was. She was even certain the bastard laughed at her desperation, just before her orgasm consumed her, she had a brief, coherent thought. If he had used his hands to guide her, it would have been an act of control. For her, it was an act of surrender.

Kate only released her grip on him as the last of her orgasm ebbed away. She was conscious that his hands on her hips were doing a better job of keeping her upright than her legs were in that moment. Letting him go, she felt him tenderly kiss her left knee. Instead of commenting, she turned to the shower to get it going.

"Why did you kiss my knee?" Kate asked when they started drying off.

"I wasn't kissing your 'knee'," Aiden said softly. "I kissed your ACL scar. It's important to me. I know that for you, it's probably something you'd rather forget, and I never want you to go through that again. You were a whiny bitch in recovery, even though it was literally my job to help you. But it's important to me. Your injury, as horrible as it was for your career, created the space that allowed us to explore our feelings, so I can't be sorry it happened."

"It wasn't your job, Prick," Kate laughed. "You don't charge me."

"You didn't know that until you started pushing my boundaries and I threatened to walk away," Aiden said seriously.

"A, would you ever have told me if I didn't get injured?" Kate asked.

"No," Aiden said seriously. "I would never have told the version of you that was consumed by the tour. That's why your Dad didn't tell you. I would have told the person you are now."

"Did Daddy know you loved me, even then?"

"The conversations I had with my Godfather before you were my partner are not your business," Aiden said firmly. "But yes. I never told him, he guessed."

Kate thought about pushing further, but decided against it. It wasn't a lack of curiosity, but respect. Aiden had already admitted that his love had been unrequited for years. It wasn't her place to question the support network he'd built to keep her in his life and protect himself. Taking his face into her hands, she kissed him gently.

"Come on, I think I said something about you keeping me in bed until I was fully sated," Kate said softly, taking his hand to lead him.

Instead of initiating as soon as they got to the bedroom, she made herself comfortable and nestled into his side. Kate wanted to say something reassuring, but hesitated. She didn't want to force the words and offer a platitude. So she found comfort in his presence and silence until the words came to her.

"Aiden," Kate started eventually. "I'm sorry you had to wait so long for me to find room for you in my life. I know those are just words, but I don't have anything else to offer you."

"It's okay. Seriously," Aiden replied gently. "I wasn't pining for you if that makes sense."

"I thought you said your feelings developed around the time I went to the Academy? That was eight years ago," Kate said quickly.

"I know, but think about where I was then. Please don't interrupt," Aiden continued. "I was about to go to Uni. You were my best friend's forbidden little sister, about to embark on something extraordinary. So yeah, I had a fantasy of becoming a successful PT who could follow you. Then real life happened. You started succeeding and moving further away from me. You may not want to know this, but you might have heard stories - you know at least six people who went to university in Newcastle, including your dad. It's a very fun city for students. So I pushed aside the girl who could never be and focused on my present. I was graduating and starting my personal PT business. Remember when we first started. You were 21, only just in the top fifty, and just beginning to make money, and I was cheap. You made up for it by posting my business and putting me on your sponsors page. Overnight, I was getting DMs and emails asking for me. I could suddenly charge a fortune. I could pick and choose. Then I remembered there was a space that had been empty for years and decided to look into it. Dad, your parents and Alex gave me some seed money and backed my loan application. So, less than two years later, I had my own gym where I could dictate the clientele. That's when I stopped charging you for my time. Everything I had was because of you. And then in the little moments where you were home for training, I got a little piece of you and the old feelings would return, but I was too busy to pine."

"Oh," Kate replied gently, absorbing his confession. "Did you get up to any other fun while you weren't pining for me?" Kate added playfully.

"We've had this conversation, I won't disclose what happened on the holidays I took with Will," Aiden laughed. "Especially given he's your brother and how friendly you are with Caitlyn."

"That's fair enough, good to see your first thought is to protect my brother," Kate said.

"Always."

Kate didn't feel the need to speak further and let the silence resume its comforting blanket over them. She still planned to seduce him again, but intended to let the closeness of the moment guide her. For the moment, she was happy to just trail her fingers through his light smattering of chest hair while he slowly combed his fingers through her hair.

When the moment did come, it felt natural to Kate. His fingers started massaging her neck, and her hand started trailing towards his growing member. Kate knew she didn't want this to be about her release; she wanted it to be about him. Her's would come, he was far too considerate a lover not to return the favour. But in that moment, she wanted to reward the years of his unrequited fantasy.

When she felt he was ready, she climbed on top and slowly eased his entry before kissing him. She felt no desperation, just a desire to please him through the intimacy of their bond. Holding onto this thought, she set a gentle pace and just rocked against him, keeping their foreheads pressed together and her eyes open except when she kissed him.

They continued to initiate through the night, and by the time Aiden roused her for breakfast, she felt very happy with their connection.

That set the tone for their brief window of time; during the day, they'd explore Oxford together. Most mornings, they started at the gym so Aiden could test areas of her baseline fitness, such as her strength, as he built her programme. But her favourite part was walking the city and exploring some of its hidden treasures. She made sure to check in with her parents so that they didn't think she was giving Aiden all of her time. But the nights were always theirs. Kate refused another meal out. She enjoyed the domesticity of cooking with him. They were both intuitive eaters, and neither was particularly picky, so they themed their nights: Mexican, Thai, Lebanese.

For her final night, she kicked him out of the flat and spent a couple of hours making him her family's signature shepherd's pie. One of their favourite meals growing up. Just as he returned, she slipped on one of the bodysuits she'd seen him eyeing. She hadn't told him she'd gone back to buy one. It was her surprise.

Kate had just set the table when Aiden walked in.

"Kate... what?" Aiden stammered.

"I made you dinner," Kate smiled. "The lingerie is to save time later."

"Okay..."

"Sit," Kate encouraged him and poured some wine. "I'll explain, once we've eaten."

Kate waited until he served himself before she explained her thinking.

"Aiden, have you ever heard of a 'free use' agreement?" Kate asked.

"No," Aiden said, putting his fork down and staring at her.

"It's a kink thing I've been reading about," Kate admitted. "The idea is that the submissive partner, in this case me, agrees to be sexually available at all times. There are levels and extremes. I want to try a controlled version with a set time limit and boundaries. So, for tonight only, from the time we load the dishwasher until we wake up, I'm yours however you want at any moment. Obviously, you can't take me while I'm asleep, but if you wake me, I'm yours."

"What do you get out of this?" Aiden asked seriously. "That sounds borderline abusive."

"It can be, but some women get off on it," Kate explained. "The idea, if you know you might have sex at any moment, becomes a turn-on because you're in a constant state of anticipation. That's the bit that interests me."

"Okay, what else?" Aiden pressed.

"I need a safe word, something to let you know the agreement is over," Kate said. "'No' or 'stop' don't really work because I can use those playfully without meaning it. It has to be something that lets you know I'm not teasing. For tonight, I'm thinking 'tennis'. It's my place away from you and our bubble."

"Can I think about it?"

"Of course, it doesn't really work if you're not comfortable with it," Kate said, smiling at him. "I need you more than I need to explore kinks."

"Thank you," Aiden said quietly, before brightening up. "Now are you ever going to give me the recipe for this shepherd's pie?"

"Nope, your surname isn't Smith," Kate teased. "I could be convinced to betray Daddy's secrets when there is a ring on my finger."

"I know all his braai recipes, I'm sure he'll forgive you if you teach me his pie," Aiden argued.

"Nope, the lasagna and shepherd's pie are off limits, they're the first things he ever cooked for Mum."

Even though she remained engaged over the dinner conversation and shared her plans to go shopping with Lettie, his sister and Caitlyn, Kate dwelled on her proposal in the back of her mind. She wasn't worried about him saying no. She loved him too much for that. But finally discovering her feelings for him had unlocked something she'd never felt before, and now she needed to explore them when she had the opportunity.

Kate was just arranging their dessert when Aiden revisited the topic.

"For tonight, the answer is yes," Aiden said without preamble. "You told me in Botswana that you wanted to discover and explore your kinks with me. I accepted that, and I accept this is part of that. But I want a deeper conversation about this if you decide to make this a more regular feature of our life."

"Deal," Kate said quickly with a smile. "Are you going to tell me when, or are you going to surprise me?"

"I don't know yet," Aiden admitted. "We'll finish dinner first, and while I load the dishwasher, since you cooked, you can lose that body suit. You aren't really 'free' for me to use if I have to do the work of removing your underwear."

Kate laughed at his response and stripped on the spot before throwing the body suit into the bin.

"What?" She said defiantly when he gave her a questioning look. "You asked me to undress, so I did. I hope you don't think a set I picked up from Ann Summers is something that's meant to last. Most of them aren't designed to leave the bedroom. When it's lingerie to be kept and savoured on special occasions, you'll know."

"Most people go to Primark for disposable lingerie," Aiden laughed.

"Yes," Kate said sarcastically. "That would work for my image. I can see The Sun headline now 'British No. 1 Kate Smith buys her knickers in Primark just like you!'."

"I thought you were playing submissive tonight?" Aiden teased.

"No, I said I wanted to be 'free' for you physically. I never said I'd lose my voice," Kate said playfully. "If you want to shut me up, you know what to do."

"Why do I feel like this is an act?" Aiden chuckled.

"That's called being a brat," Kate corrected. "You've seen my bratty side, this isn't that. The brat in me is a tennis professional who expects things to be perfect so I can be my best. And she will never submit. She might listen to her personal trainer, telling her she's pushing too hard."

"Okay, Tennis Star, go put on a movie for us, while I finish and change."

Kate was surprised when Aiden turned her offer into a game of cat and mouse. She'd expected him to push her boundaries a little and see what he could get away with under the rules she laid. But he made almost no effort to use his freedom. He'd rest his hand on her thigh, maybe draw it up her leg, but he'd always stop before he got too close.

But if Kate got too comfortable and tried to reach for him, he'd swat her hand away.

"You're the one who offered herself, not me," He'd whisper.

Kate was collecting more water when Aiden finally took advantage of her. She hadn't heard him coming when he pushed her against the counter and started fingering her. Kate gasped at the contact and spread her legs to allow him more access.

Kate was just getting into it when he suddenly stopped, but before she could protest at the loss of contact, he pushed her forward and took her. Kate didn't feel like a loved partner. She was a sex doll, there to please him, and she loved it. The pressures of her world didn't exist, just Aiden and what he could take from her. She knew she wouldn't cum, at the pace he was going, she doubted he would last long enough to allow it. But this wasn't about that. Her satisfaction was that her offer had made him almost primal. He'd restrained himself. He'd teased. But when he gave in, he'd lost all sense of restraint. His desire for her was her power.

Kate didn't comment when he came suddenly, holding himself inside her until the last pulses faded away. She stayed still as he pulled out and walked away. Only once she was sure she was alone again did she wipe up and finish pouring her glass of water.

Joining him on the sofa, she didn't comment on what had just happened. She just kissed his cheek and settled into his side as he resumed the movie.

Aiden only played into her fantasy one more time, waking her up in the early hours for a blowjob before he eased her onto her back, but this time he didn't take her. He'd made love to her, taking his time and making sure she came with him.

Over breakfast, Kate wanted to talk about the experience, but Aiden stopped her.

"I have to say goodbye to you today," Aiden said thoughtfully. "Hold onto your thoughts. We'll talk about it, I promise. Let's focus on the now. This small window of me and you, before you head off."

"A, I'm not flying out for a couple of days," Kate said.

"I know, but you did promise your sisters, and mine, a shopping day. I want you to enjoy that, I want you to be present for them," Aiden replied with a small smile. "We need to stop at your parents, so you can pick up what you need, your Dad probably needs a word, and your Mum will kill me if she doesn't get a goodbye hug. So let's delay the chat a bit, please?"

"A, did you not like it?" Kate asked quietly.

"That's not it, I enjoyed it," Aiden answered. "Now I need to work out what that means. Unlike you, I didn't have time to get my mind around the idea before you put it out there."

"Okay, I love you," Kate said, getting up.

"I love you, too, Tennis Star."

Kate made sure they took one more walk together to prolong their little bubble. Dropping her kit and racquet bag at the door, she pulled him in for one more kiss before they took the short walk to her parents' house.

"I'll see you in a few weeks," Kate whispered. "I'll make sure Daddy buys a couple of days before the Wells starts, and you have to share me with the world. It's just down the road from Palm Springs, and there are plenty of exclusive resorts where we can hide for a few days."

"What about when the tournament starts?" Aiden replied.

"I'm going to rent a house," Kate said. "Phoebe and Jo will stay with us, but I'll make sure it's a big one where we can have our own space."

"What about your parents?"

"I don't see Mum giving up the comforts of a resort in the California desert for an AirBnb," Kate laughed. "They always stay slightly away from the tournament bubble."

At her parents' house, Kate quickly arranged her training gear into a kitbag before walking into her father's office for her typical briefing before she headed off for a training block.

"Phoebe has everything you need to check in, and Stanford is looking forward to welcoming you. You'll meet the head of tennis and Athletic Director when you arrive," Mike said with a smile.

"Perfect, anything else?" Kate asked, noticing the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"I might be a little less present on the tour this year," Mike said slowly.

"Why?" Kate said immediately.

"Don't worry, I'm still coming to all the Slams, and if I'm really needed, I'll fly to you within a day," Mike said. "I want to give Phoebe a bit more experience in managing you, she's going to have to move on soon. She wants to be a manager one day, and she can't do that working for us. You're not retiring anytime soon, and unless you want to replace me with her, she needs to move on to one of the big firms, with multiple clients, where she can be a proper assistant manager. We owe her that."

"Okay, when?" Kate asked.

"She's committed to this season with you, but I've given her the green light to start putting feelers out," Mike replied. "Now come, hug your old man, make sure you say goodbye to your mother, and have fun with your sisters. And I'll see you soon."

"Can you make sure that I've a couple of days alone with Aiden when you arrive?"

"Already done, Phoebe's booked you two nights in the Ritz-Carlton, on me, and she's looking for a house to rent."

"This is why I'll never sack you," Kate laughed, hugging him and kissing his forehead before letting herself out.

Her farewell with her mother was just the usual silent, tight hugs that felt like her mother was scared she'd never see her again.

"Don't get into too much trouble with Lettie and the girls," Sarah whispered.

Instead of waiting in the house, Kate stood in the drive with Aiden while they waited for the car that would take her and Caitlyn to London. They didn't say much; she just held his hand while he kept an eye on the road. She wasn't as concerned by their separation this time. They'd already been through it once, and they'd managed it. California wasn't the best for keeping in touch with him, but they'd found a window before he went to work when she'd be done with training for the day.

When the car pulled up, Kate pulled him down for one more kiss before she knocked on the door to let Caitlyn know the car had arrived, while Aiden handed her bags to the driver.

"Be good Tennis Star, I'll see you soon.

"Love you," Kate whispered before getting in the car.

***

Sorry, this took me a bit longer than I planned. A few things came up that pulled me away from writing. I hope to have the final part out in the next week or two. As always, thanks for reading. Please rate and leave a comment.